The OMFIF Podcast

European investment grade credit in a shifting macro regime

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0100

Conor Perry, economist at OMFIF, speaks with Edward Harrold, fixed income investment director at Capital Group, about the outlook for European investment grade credit in an evolving macro backdrop. They discuss the impact of geopolitics on credit markets, inflation and interest rate expectations, as well as Capital Group’s approach to bottom-up investment management.

The path towards women's leadership

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:40:23 +0100

The representation of women in leadership, particularly in the financial sector, has been progressing over the years. This has been alongside mentorship programmes, networking platforms and career path support systems that institutions have been putting in place to advance a more equitable gender workplace.

Shriyanka Hore, board member at London Women’s Forum, joins Andrea Correa, head of research at OMFIF, to discuss how institutional initiatives, policies and networking opportunities have shaped the path of women in leadership positions, and which areas still need support to achieve gender balance.

Nature loss: the insurance protection blind spot

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:14:29 +0000

As natural disasters accelerate in both frequency and severity around the world, it is becoming increasingly difficult for insurers to provide protection to people and businesses alike. Regula Hess, financial sector engagement lead at WWF Switzerland, and Arne Holzhausen, head of outreach at Allianz Investment Management, joins Sarah Moloney, editorial director at OMFIF, to discuss the climate insurance protection gap and how it threatens global financial stability.

They explore the key findings of a new white paper published by WWF. ‘Tackling the insurance protection gap: leveraging climate and nature to increase resilience’ finds that the widening gap between total economic losses after a natural disaster and the proportion that is insured is becoming a material concern for financial regulators, central banks and governments. The conversation digs into why nature loss and the degradation of ecosystems are central to the issue and looks at how the impacts go far beyond risks to property.

The emerging markets asset class amid the Middle East energy shock

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:39:40 +0000

Tara Hariharan, managing director and head of research at NWI Management, joins Mark Sobel, chief economist and vice chair at OMFIF to discuss emerging market investing.

They explore how to manage the volatility associated with current market volatility in light of developments in the Middle East while combining those with views and assessments of underlying EM country economic developments.

China's flailing growth model and challenges

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Michael Pettis, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and co-author of Trade Wars Are Class Wars: How Rising Inequality Distorts the Global Economy and Threatens International Peace, joins Mark Sobel, chief economist and vice chair at OMFIF, to discuss the insuperable obstacles China faces in seeking to escape its wasteful investment-led growth model and instead boost consumption and services.

Unpacking sandboxes

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:05:08 +0000

As the new generation of financial infrastructure takes shape, the need for sophisticated tools to inform policy-makers is growing. To encourage innovation and preserve security, it is vital that policy-makers have the capacity to interact with and closely supervise new systems.

Sandboxes are a key tool for this process. Carmelle Cadet, chief executive officer and founder of EmTech joins OMFIF to discuss the nuances of how sandboxes work and how they should be constructed.

Collapsing retail and wholesale for a universal CBDC

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:19:09 +0000

Discussions around central bank digital currencies typically begin with the intended use case. If the CBDC is for retail use, then all the subsequent discussions focus on retail, and the reverse is true for wholesale. The two are treated as separate discussions.

Abbas Albasha, senior strategy consultant at Giesecke+Devrient joins Lewis McLellan, head of content at OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss why this approach is too restrictive, pointing out that a single CBDC system can be designed to meet both retail and wholesale needs flexibly without need for two separate systems.

Where the risks really are in sovereign portfolios

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:13:05 +0000

Max Castelli, head of strategy for sovereign institutions, and Philipp Salman, director of strategy for sovereign institutions at UBS Asset Management, join Yara Aziz, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss how shifting geopolitics shaped reserve management in 2025, and what sovereign investors should watch for in 2026. They cover the macro outlook, longer-term portfolio strategy, US concentration risk and the debate around the dollar’s role in reserves.

Spending smarter: effective allocations in public investment

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

In the coming year, renewed attention should be made to explore how governments can shift from simply spending more to spending smarter. Drawing on new insights from the International Monetary Fund and fresh empirical work from OMFIF and EY, we examine why productive public investment remains elusive, what distinguishes high-performing public institutions and how fiscal policies can better support high-productive investment.

Mark MacDonald, global public finance management leader at EY, and Galen Sheer, senior economist, fiscal affairs at the IMF, join Andrea Correa, senior economist at OMFIF, to unpack the practical reforms finance ministries can take, from improving allocative and technical efficiency to building credible evaluation systems, and offer next steps that policy-makers can act on immediately to drive better long-term outcomes.

The imperative of debt transparency

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:08:08 +0000

Sovereign debt scholar Anna Gelpern, Scott K. Ginsburg professor of law and international finance at Georgetown University, joins Mark Sobel, US chair at OMFIF, to discuss the theory of the case for debt transparency, the need for more and better public debt disclosure and the impact of poor disclosure on low-income countries and emerging markets. Gelpern also explores ideas on how to tackle the challenge, and shares an update on the Sovereign Debt Forum's Public Debt Is Public project with Georgetown’s Massive Data Institute.

Sovereigns, spreads and stability in Europe

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

European fixed income has been 'normalising' over 2025. Inflation is stabilising, the European Central Bank has halted rates near neutral, spreads are tight but markets are steady. Yet political and fiscal divergences remain sharp within the European Union with Italian BTPs now regularly pricing through French OATs. The EU’s rapid expansion as a AAA issuer is altering Europe’s credit market structure and raising the prospect of a genuine euro safe asset.

Conor Perry, economist at OMFIF’s Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, is joined by Jeremy Cunningham, investment director at Capital Group, to examine these developments. They discuss OAT-BTP repricing, investor-base effects on yield sensitivity, the impact of unified EU issuance and the outlook for 2026.

Expectations and risks for the 2026 global economic outlook and beyond

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:18:00 +0000

Dennis Shen, chair of the macroeconomic council and lead global economist at Scope Ratings, joins Mark Sobel, OMFIF US chair, to discuss the global economic outlook entering 2026, prospects for the US, China, Europe and Japan, alongside the key global economic challenges and risks.

Looking back on 10 years of the Paris agreement

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In 2015, almost 200 countries signed the Paris agreement in a landmark commitment to limit the impact of global warming. Ten years on, Rahul Ghosh, global head of sustainable finance at Moody’s Ratings, and Umar Ashfaq, research director for the Americas at the MSCI Institute, join Sarah Moloney, editorial director at OMFIF, to examine how much progress has been made in the decade since and whether there is still a place for such international agreements in a more divided world.

Reimagining money: the rise and reach of stablecoins

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:08:45 +0000

Stablecoins are dominating the headlines and policy-makers are responding rapidly. The instruments, though once primarily used as a trading pair for crypto-assets, are rapidly gaining a foothold in cross-border payments where their speed and low cost make them an attractive alternative in some corridors. Eyes are also on their potential adoption for wholesale settlement. Thibault Pelé, head of product for digital currency at Worldline, joins Lewis McLellan, head of content at OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the evolving uses of stablecoins and the promise this instrument shows in reshaping money.

Investing in outcomes: delivering more with less

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Governments today face mounting pressure to deliver more with fewer resources. Yet the way public money is managed often leans towards expenditure control rather than investment in long-term socioeconomic outcomes. Even when innovative policies or technical solutions exist, implementation barriers frequently prevent good ideas from being translated into results.

Adam Chepenik, principal, government and public sector, and Andrew Kleine, managing director, government and public sector at EY, join Andrea Correa, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss how governments can invest in outcomes, prepare for crises and make their financial choices more sustainable, impactful and politically appealing.

A new generation of cash on-chain

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:22:40 +0100

Money is arriving on blockchain. Whether that is in the form of stablecoins, tokenised deposits or central bank money, it has the potential to reshape the way we do business, both in our personal lives and in wholesale financial markets.

Zha Wenting (AC), Senior Digital Transformation Expert, Director of On-chain Finance Development at Huawei Digital Finance BU, joins Lewis McLellan, head of content of OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the impact that on-chain cash is beginning to have, where it's going and what Huawei's role is.

Can Europe Survive?: Light at the end of the tunnel

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0100

Events and a series of unforced errors leave Europe in a precarious state. How will the half-built political project contend with hostile neighbours, economic rivals and disengaging former allies on the one hand, and internal arguments about money, governance and demography on the other?

David Marsh, OMFIF chairman, discusses his new book, Can Europe Survive? The Story of a Fractured Continent, with John Orchard, chairman of OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute. They discuss the evolution of the Russo-German relationship, the competence and fragility of the European Central Bank and the financial arguments now heading over the horizon.

Channelling climate capital to Asia and beyond

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:36:43 +0100

With Asia warming at twice the global average, the transition to net zero makes both social and economic sense for the region. Executive Director of the External Department at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Kenneth Hui, joins OMFIF's Editorial Director, Sarah Moloney, to discuss the HKMA’s approach to channelling capital to the sectors and regions that need it most.

Speaking in the wake of the super typhoon Ragasa and Hong Kong Green Week, they explore the shift in conversations from the ‘why’ to the ‘how’, the importance of adaptation and resilience measures as well as the September 2025 update to the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance.

A new generation of financial infrastructure

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:15:54 +0100

National financial infrastructure is undergoing perhaps its most rapid period of change in a generation. The needs and expectations of consumers and businesses are evolving to meet a new digital age, and payments systems must evolve to keep up. Among the key developments are increasing real-time payments, growing cross-border flows and the emergence of crypto-assets and stablecoins. Frank Chen Lu, Solution Architect, Digital Finance BU at Huawei, joins Lewis McLellan, head of content at OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss these new dynamics and the policy response from the official sector.

Balancing delivery of public value with fiscal responsibility

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Around the world, we’re seeing renewed attention to public debt and fiscal tightening, particularly as debt levels continue to rise in advanced economies. Governments face difficult trade-offs: cut spending on services, delay infrastructure investment or raise taxes.

Mauricio Zelaya, partner and national economics leader at EY Canada, and Marie Diron, managing director of sovereign risk at Moody’s Ratings, join Andrea Correa, senior economist at OMFIF, to talk about the relationship between fiscal management, fiscal capacity and the link between debt and public investment. They discuss how governments are balancing fiscal consolidation with essential investments, how borrowed funds can be used effectively to generate productive outcomes and what reforms enable governments to design fiscal strategies that are both responsible in the short term and sustainable over the long term.

What’s next for the dollar?

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:11:00 +0100

Max Castelli, head of strategy for sovereign institutions at UBS Asset Management, joins Yara Aziz, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the future of the dollar in the global financial system. They explore UBS’s latest Reserve Management Survey findings, the dollar's resilience, the rise of gold, digital currencies and whether any challengers are truly positioned to take the dollar’s place.

How to make public investment work

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0100

Today’s tighter fiscal position around the world is pushing governments to find alternatives to finance their current expenditure and public investments, forcing them to think differently about how they fund and deliver essential services.

Dean Yates, regional market segment leader in government and health sciences, Oceania, at EY, and Rainer Kattel, deputy director and professor of innovation and public governance at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, join Andrea Correa, senior economist at OMFIF, to explore what it takes to make public investment work. They discuss the government's position and trade-offs around public investment, how to prioritise and measure investments for long-term impact and the role of innovation and governance in delivering value across health, education and infrastructure.

How public funds are addressing physical risk

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:11:49 +0100

Richard Manley, chief sustainability officer at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, joins Yara Aziz, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the key findings from a jointly published report, ‘Investing in a changing world: How public funds are addressing climate-related physical risks’. They explore the challenges public funds face in managing physical risk and where they see opportunities to build resilience.

The dollar's fight for supremacy

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:32:06 +0100

Questions about the long-term viability of the dollar as the world’s supreme transaction and investment currency have been building up for years. But America’s chaotic foreign, economic and trade policies in the six months since Donald Trump returned to the White House have intensified doubts about whether the US currency will stay the course for the longer term. Will the US be knocked off its monetary pedestal in the next five years? And which currencies are in the running as the most potent rivals to the dollar? Ellie Groves, head of strategy, official institutions group at State Street Investment Management, and David Marsh, chairman of OMFIF, debate the pros and cons of the dollar and other leading currencies, with reference to some of the themes in David’s new book, Can Europe Survive? The Story of a Continent in a Fractured World.

Point-of-sale integration: the hidden catalyst to CBDC adoption

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:21:04 +0100

Although it frequently flies under the radar, ensuring central bank digital currencies are able to be used at point-of-sale is vital to their successful adoption. Lars Hupel, chief evangelist for CBDC at Giesecke+Devrient, joins Lewis McLellan, head of content at OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss integrating CBDCs at point-of-sale, the strategic and economic benefits it will bring and the appropriate incentive structures to encourage it. You can find more information in a paper authored by Lars Hupel, which unveils the world of CBDC wallets and their various forms. It illustrates different methods to initiate payments and crafts a conceptual model for point-of-sale transactions, designed with the specific features of retail CBDCs in mind.

After Liberation Day: gold, rates and currency shifts

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:18:07 +0100

Max Castelli, head of strategy for sovereign institutions at UBS Asset Management, joins Yara Aziz, economist at OMFIF, to unpack the global reserve response after 2 April – a date proclaimed by President Donald Trump as Liberation Day. They dive into US policy shifts, the dollar’s evolving role, rising demand for gold and whether Europe is finally ready to take the lead.

The importance of privacy in capital markets

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:40:37 +0100

Zain Saidin, chief executive officer of Tassat, joins editor of OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute, Lewis McLellan, to discuss the value of private blockchain networks for regulated finance. The discussion covers how the transparency typical of public blockchains may present trade-offs where counterparties want to know each other but cannot know each other's trading behaviour. They also discuss Lynq – a real-time yield-bearing settlement network for digital assets, sitting on a private institutional network.

Driving ocean sustainability through finance

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 14:49:07 +0100

Ahead of the Blue Economy and Finance Forum taking place on 7-8 June 2025, Louise Heaps, Global Lead Sustainable Blue Economy, and Maud Abdelli, Greening Financial Regulation Initiative Lead at the Worldwide Fund for Nature, join OMFIF's Isabella Frymoyer to explore how financial institutions can advance ocean sustainability. The conversation highlights the key priorities, challenges and tools needed to scale investment in the blue economy, ultimately outlining the importance of encouraging blue sustainable growth.

Navigating long-term investments amid short term volatility

Wed, 28 May 2025 15:24:13 +0100

Jonathan Griffiths, senior investment specialist at Capital Group, joins Arunima Sharan, senior economist at OMFIF’s Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, to unpack Capital Group’s 2025 Capital Market Assumptions and explore perspectives for institutional investors navigating an increasingly complex global investment landscape. They discuss themes ranging from opportunities in emerging market, to fixed income strategies and currency outlooks over the next two decades.

Combatting fraud in instant payments systems

Thu, 08 May 2025 13:49:41 +0100

Instant payments systems are proliferating rapidly, and many central banks are working hard on interlinking them to enable quick, efficient cross-border payments. However, while IPS can provide extremely rapid, low-cost payments, they are not immune to fraud and erroneous payments. Given the speed of settlement, these problems can be even more difficult to resolve than they are for other payments systems.

Petia Niederländer, head of payments, risk monitoring and financial literacy at Oesterreichische Nationalbank, and Cian OMurhu, managing director and head of strategic transformation office at Swift, join Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the technical infrastructure required to address these issues, how they are being implemented and what work still needs to be done.

Tokenisation: an engine for convergence

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:42:14 +0100

Real-world asset tokenisation is accelerating, particularly within private distributed ledger technology platforms like R3's Corda. But Richard Brown, R3’s chief technology officer, believes that the future of financial market infrastructure lies in the convergence of private networks like Corda and public networks like Ethereum and Solana.

He joins Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the opportunity that DLT presents for an overhaul of financial market infrastructure where the openness, liquidity and composability of public networks is combined with the regulatory confidence offered by private networks.

Will the dollar remain king?

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:02:50 +0100

Paul Blustein, author of King Dollar: The Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency, joins OMFIF to discuss his latest book and thoughts on why the dollar has been, continues to be and will remain the world's dominant currency. He discusses why the euro and renminbi are not viable alternatives, whether there is a role for cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, if excess US use of financial sanctions could weaken the dollar's global role and what other landmines might lie ahead, including American dysfunction.

CBDC plans energised by stablecoin momentum

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:04:42 +0100

OMFIF’s 2024 survey of central banks found that, while three-quarters of respondents are continuing their plans to issue central bank digital currencies, one-third have delayed their timelines. However, this was before the change in US government and the decision not to pursue CBDCs, instead prioritising digital assets. A follow-up OMFIF survey revealed that this development has encouraged some central banks outside the US to move in the opposite direction and accelerate their CBDC plans.

Wolfram Seidemann, chief executive officer of Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology, joins John Orchard, chairman of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss why CBDCs should be issued sooner rather than later, how public sector payment rails can boost private sector innovation and what the future financial system might look like.

Trade, investment and their impact on sustainability

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:17:31 +0100

Amelia Santos-Paulino, chief of investment research at the United Nations Trade and Development's investment and enterprise division, joins OMFIF to discuss some of the key priorities in sustainability for UNTAD in 2025. She considers the space for trade and investment flows in international climate discussions, particularly in the face of recent elections. She also discusses the critical growth sectors associated with sustainable trade and the opportunities and challenges faced by emerging markets in this area.

How political shifts are reshaping sovereign investment strategies

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:20:04 +0000

Max Castelli, head of strategy for sovereign institutions, and Philipp Salman, director of strategy for sovereign institutions at UBS Asset Management, join Yara Aziz, economist at OMFIF, to discuss how sovereign investors are adapting their strategies for 2025. They explore US President Trump’s policies, the outlook for the dollar and the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of the Magnificent Seven stocks.

Unified ledgers: opportunities and legal challenges

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:50:18 +0000

Discourse on the rewiring of payments and financial markets has been dominated in 2024 by talk of unified ledgers. The technical promises and challenges this architecture entails are gradually becoming better understood, but before the prototypes can become reality, the legal challenges must be fully explored. Natalie Lewis, partner at Travers Smith, joins Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss what the legal implications of unified ledgers will be.

Turning women’s entrepreneurial potential into economic opportunity

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:20:50 +0000

Wendy Teleki, head of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative at the World Bank, joins Arunima Sharan, senior economist at OMFIF's Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, to discuss how the We Finance Code is tackling the $1.7tn financing gap facing women entrepreneurs. They explore We-Fi's work across 80 countries and examine how supporting women-led businesses creates positive social impact through improved education, employment and economic empowerment.

Tokenisation: a new model for collaboration

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:50:31 +0000

Tokenisation is frequently discussed as a means of improving the efficiency of existing financial markets, but the technology may offer the chance to create entirely new types of economic activity. The immense reach of distributed ledger technology-based tokens makes them a vector of greater inclusion to types of markets previously inaccessible to the general public. Additionally, the collaborative decision-making facilitated by tokenisation can encourage new types of co-operation between competitors to achieve shared aims. Dominik Talebi, managing director of Global Trade Finance, joins Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the new economic paradigm that tokenisation is already beginning to offer.

From plans to impactful strategies transforming transition finance

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 10:34:11 +0000

Yara Aziz, economist at OMFIF’s Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, speaks with Ashleigh Lee, co-lead secretariat of the City of London Corporation’s Transition Finance Market Review, to discuss the findings of the Transition Finance Market Review report. They explore the challenges and opportunities in scaling transition finance, strategies to prevent greenwashing and the global collaboration required to drive decarbonisation.

From petrodollar to petroyuan?

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:20:49 +0000

Mark Sobel, US Chair, OMFIF, speaks with Max Castelli, head of strategy, sovereign institutions, UBS Asset Management, on the role of the US dollar and the various dedollarisation scenarios. They discuss significance of Saudi Arabia’s decision to join the mBridge multi-currency CBDC platform and the potential implications for the incumbent USD-based financial system.

Risks and opportunities for investment grade credit in 2025

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:39:54 +0000

Flavio Carpenzano, fixed income investment director at Capital Group, joins Burhan Khadbai, head of content for OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, to look back at the performance of the investment grade credit market in 2024 and the outlook for next year.

They discuss how credit spreads are continuing to compress despite elevated levels of supply and to what extent this will evolve as markets move into a lower yield environment with the easing of monetary policy. The discussion also looks at the opportunities in IG credit and the risks for the sector from the volatility in rates driven by macroeconomic and geopolitical factors.

Behind the post-election crypto bump

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 09:03:39 +0000

Bitcoin's price has surged following Donald Trump's victory in the US election. Trump's campaign was calculated to appeal to the crypto world, so the move comes as no surprise, but what are policy changes can we expect and do they warrant this kind of explosive price action? To discuss these questions, Lewis McLellan, editor of the Digital Monetary Institute at OMFIF, is joined by Brian Whitehurst, head of regulatory affairs at Lukka, Suzanne Morsfield, global head at Lukka, and Dorothy DeWitt, chief executive officer of Tölt Strategies and former director of market oversight at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Why governments should embrace technology

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:40:43 +0000

A recent OMFIF-EY report on the future of public money outlines the need for governments to embrace new ideas, frameworks and technology. Joining Nikhil Sanghani, managing director, Economic and Monetary Policy Institute at OMFIF, is Mark MacDonald, global public finance management leader at EY, and Joachim Schwerin, principal economist, DG GROW at the European Commission. They discuss why governments should embrace new technology as well as how blockchain and artificial intelligence can improve public finance outcomes, the need for greater understanding and the importance of public-private partnerships.

Transitioning global public funds – strategies, barriers and opportunities

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:18:01 +0000

Anne Simpson, global head of sustainability at Franklin Templeton, joins Emma McGarthy, head of OMFIF’s Sustainable Policy Institute, to assess the role of public pension and sovereign funds in transition finance. They also discuss the work of the Transition Finance Working Group, which has spoken with 12 of the biggest funds on their transition strategies and challenges. The working group conversations have been distilled into a research report by OMFIF, which will be launched at a seminar during COP29.

To join OMFIF, Franklin Templeton and global public funds at COP29, register here.

To read more about OMFIF's Transition Finance insight, click here.

Breaking down wholesale CBDC developments with G+D

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 10:46:28 +0000

2024 has seen exciting developments in the wholesale central bank digital currency space. Abbas Albasha, senior strategy consultant for CBDC at Giesecke+Devrient, joins Lewis McLellan, OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute editor, to discuss the value that wholesale CBDC can offer economies, how they can integrate with other forms of money including retail CBDC and some of the challenges those looking to implement them are facing.

Examining the changing landscape of digital assets with R3

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 10:52:20 +0100

Many in capital markets have long been expecting an overhaul in how their business functions from the disruptive effects of digital assets technology. So far, these effects have not been substantial outside isolated pockets where implementation has leaped ahead. But many believe we are approaching an inflection point and that dramatic changes are about to arrive for financial market infrastructure. Kate Karimson, R3's chief commercial officer, joins Lewis McLellan, OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute editor, to discuss what these changes will look like.

The Draghi report: key messages for Europe’s economy

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:41:02 +0100

In early September 2024, the European Commission published the long-awaited ‘The future of European competitiveness: Report by Mario Draghi', which examines in detail the challenges faced by European industry and companies in the single market. OMFIF lead economist Taylor Pearce hosts Bill Papadakis, macro strategist at Lombard Odier, to discuss the structural and macro trends the EU economy is contending with and how these are impacting key areas of the economy and financial system.

Evolution of sustainable government debt issuance

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 17:42:11 +0100

One of the major structural factors impacting government financing is the massive scale of public money needed to ensure the transition to a carbon neutral economy. How are trends in government debt issuance evolving as they relate to sustainability? Alex Caridia, head of public sector markets at RBC and Heather Taylor, partner, climate change and sustainability at EY, join OMFIF lead economist Taylor Pearce to discuss. The conversation is a part of OMFIF’s workstream on the Future of public money project.

The status of stablecoins

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:00:06 +0100

At present, in most jurisdictions, only commercial banks are able to provide final settlement of payments as the only institutions with access to central bank reserves. However, new business models have emerged that unbundle the business of creating money and payment services from the provision of credit. Should payments be unbundled from banking? Circle's chief economist Gordon Liao and OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute editor Lewis McLellan discuss the regulatory treatment of stablecoins and consider which institutions can access central bank payment systems and under what conditions.

Meeting the need for offline digital payments

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:15:31 +0100

Around a third of the world lack reliable internet access and among the two thirds that have access, disruptions and restrictions are far from unknown. Ensuring that digital payments solutions are reliable and have the broadest reach possible requires that they can function offline. Though the need is well understood, the challenges of meeting it remain. Lars Hupel, G+D's chief evangelist, joins OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute editor Lewis McLellan to discuss how offline capabilities enhance the effectiveness and convenience of online payment methods and share G+D's experience in this field.

Trump and Harris' 'meaningfully different' economic positions

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 13:15:22 +0100

Christopher Smart, former senior US Treasury and National Security Council official and managing partner of Arbroath Group, joins OMFIF's US chair Mark Sobel, to discuss the economic plans of presidential candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. They compare the candidates' differences on fiscal, monetary, exchange rate, trade and immigration policies.

Advancing financial inclusion in the Middle East and Africa

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:34:15 +0100

Omar Massarweh, vice president of public policy for the Middle East and North Africa at Mastercard, joins Arunima Sharan, senior economist at OMFIF to discuss key findings from the ‘Path to Morocco’ project completed by OMFIF in partnership with Mastercard, aimed at fostering public-private dialogue and ensuring that financial inclusion remains at the core of future economies.

Their conversation touches on the alignment of current financial systems with the World Economic Forum's shared principles for an inclusive financial system and the areas with the greatest potential for improvement. They also explore how emerging technologies can enhance financial inclusion, the role of financial institutions in catalysing innovation and successful examples of public-private collaborations in the region.

Emerging markets debt: trends opportunities and risks

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 16:20:48 +0100

Jeremy Cunningham, investment director at Capital Group, speaks with Arunima Sharan, senior economist at OMFIF to discuss the latest trends in emerging markets debt. They explore the re-emergence of these markets in investors' minds and how perceptions of EM debt have shifted in recent years. The conversation covers current and future opportunities in this local and hard currency EM bonds, factors contributing to higher return potential, and associated risks.

OMFIF’s Q3 Bulletin on emerging markets can be found here

Despite the odds: Ukraine’s economic reform progress

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:32:09 +0100

Vlad Rashkovan, Ukraine's representative to the International Monetary Fund, joins Mark Sobel, OMFIF’s US chair, to provide an update on Ukraine's economic and financial situation. They assess the country's progress in implementing economic reforms despite the war and the hardships facing Ukraine's people. They explore how Ukraine is using both domestic resources and international financing to maintain stability, and Rashkovan gives his views on the disposition of blocked Russian central bank and oligarch assets, the fight against corruption and reconstruction.

Entering a new paradigm in central bank reserve management

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 14:41:23 +0100

Max Castelli, head of strategy, sovereign institutions at UBS asset management, and Philipp Salman, also on the team at UBS, speak with OMFIF Lead Economist Taylor Pearce to discuss the latest observable trends in central bank reserve management. They discuss investment strategies, currency and asset allocations and the factors influencing reserve managers’ investment decisions in the current macroenvironment, which UBS have been tracking for 30 years now.

OMFIF's 2024 GPI report on central bank reserve management is available here.

The views expressed are as of July 2024 and are those of the author and not necessarily the views of UBS Asset Management. This podcast is a marketing communication and the information herein should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation to purchase or sell securities or any particular strategy or fund. Information and opinions have been provided in good faith and are subject to change without notice.

AI: a double-edged weapon in payments fraud

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 17:16:39 +0100

With the proliferation in artificial intelligence development, the landscape for fraud is changing rapidly. The technology represents a tool for both fraudsters and those whose job it is to catch them. Liyun He Guelton, senior AI researcher, and Claire Deprez, head of product management at Worldline, joined Lewis McLellan, Digital Monetary Institute editor, to discuss the new threats AI poses in enabling fraud, and the tools that Worldline is developing to thwart them.

Building a thriving CBDC ecosystem

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:09:17 +0100

Wolfram Seidemann, chief executive officer of Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology, joins John Orchard, chief executive officer of OMFIF, for a discussion on why public and private sectors need to come together to pool their strengths to build a thriving CBDC ecosystem. They will discuss the advantages for both stakeholders and users, and underscore the importance of offline functionality as a key area for collaboration.

Access deeper insights by also downloading OMFIF’s report in partnership with G+D: Unlocking the potential of a CBDC ecosystem

Economic implications after the European Parliament election

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 11:36:13 +0100

Geoffrey Yu, senior Europe, Middle East and Africa market strategist at BNY Mellon, joins Taylor Pearce, lead economist of OMFIF’s Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, to discuss the outcomes of the European Parliament election and the subsequent market implications. They discuss the effects of a snap election in France, the potential impact of the new European Parliament on trade policy and other major market topics.

The path to unified ledgers

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 15:18:25 +0100

With its recent 'Finternet' paper, the Bank for International Settlements has planted its flag firmly in shared ledgers as the future rails of financial infrastructure. The idea of a single platform – a network of ledgers – providing the means for the seamless and instant settlement of many financial and non-financial assets versus tokenised cash is certainly attractive in its promise. Delivering such a complex ecosystem entails a great deal of complexity, both technically and from the perspective of governance.

However, incremental steps in that direction are already delivering business value. To explain how tokenised settlement platforms are improving financial markets, Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF's Digital Monetary Institute, is joined by Basak Toprak, EMEA head of coin systems at Onyx by JP Morgan, and Atul Bhuchar, head of product at Partior.

Sustainability-linked bonds: innovations in green finance

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:41:26 +0100

Ulf Erlandsson, founder and chief executive officer of the Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute, joins Edward Maling, economist at OMFIF’s Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, to discuss the importance of fixed income markets for the climate transition. Sharing insights from AFII’s Sustainability-Linked Bond Handbook, Erlandsson explores the latest innovations in sustainable financial products, the nuances of SLBs and the potential for their continued development.

Robert Stheeman: 20 years of managing UK government debt

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 14:22:25 +0100

Robert Stheeman, the departing chief executive of the UK Debt Management Office, joins Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, to recall the highs and lows of more than two decades managing the gilt market. Stheeman discusses dealing with crises including the infamous 2022 mini budget, how the gilt market has evolved, the importance of maintaining the primary dealer system and more.

Indicators and policies to drive gender balance in financial institutions

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 16:59:20 +0100

Regina Curry, chief diversity officer at Franklin Templeton, joins Emma McGarthy, head of the Sustainable Policy Institute at OMFIF, to discuss the importance of gender balance in financial institutions. They examine the necessary benchmarks, key indicators and information required to retain and encourage women in leadership positions as well as how to foster inclusive cultures and overcome barriers.

Microsoft's vision for responsible AI in the public sector

Thu, 30 May 2024 17:07:20 +0100

Valentina Ion, public finance and public transportation lead at Microsoft, joins OMFIF to discuss the company's commitment to ethical and responsible artificial intelligence in the public sector. She explores the key risks posed by advanced AI systems, outlines Microsoft's core principles for ethical development and explains the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing AI safety and governance challenges. Ion also offers suggestions for how individuals can stay informed about AI's evolving landscape.

Using better measures to inform public spending

Tue, 28 May 2024 11:45:13 +0100

In the first of three podcasts as part of OMFIF’s project with EY on the future of public money, OMFIF’s Nikhil Sanghani is joined by Dr Carolyn Bordeaux, senior visiting scholar at the University of Georgia and former member of the US House of Representatives, and Mark Macdonald, global public finance management leader at EY.

They discuss the growing fiscal constraints facing governments, the need for effective institutional structures and the importance of having better metrics to inform public spending decisions.

Financial stability outlook: risks and resilience

Tue, 07 May 2024 13:34:25 +0100

Pedro Duerte Neves, Adviser for the Board of Directors and former Vice-Governor of Banco de Portugal, joins Taylor Pearce, senior economist, Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, OMFIF, to discuss the global financial stability outlook. Their discussion references the IMF’s 2024 Global Financial Stability Report, and examines vulnerabilities and risks to the global financial system, including stretched asset valuations, burgeoning public and private debt and the growing probability of cyberattacks.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Banco de Portugal or the Eurosystem.

Taking stock: financial market integration in Europe

Fri, 03 May 2024 12:48:39 +0100

Björn Storim, chief executive officer, and Ben Pott, managing director and international head of public policy and government affairs at BNY Mellon, join Clive Horwood, managing editor and deputy chief executive officer at OMFIF. They assess the progress towards capital markets union in Europe and the need to accelerate financial market integration. They discuss the current challenges, approaches to harmonising market infrastructure and regulations and the importance of securitisation to European competitiveness.

US dollar dominance: Is there no alternative?

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:31:44 +0100

Max Castelli, head of strategy, sovereign institutions at UBS Asset Management, joins Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the role of the dollar as a global reserve currency in a multipolar world. They discuss factors such as China’s rise in power, sanctions risk and the development of alternative payments systems and how these could challenge dollar dominance. They also discussed the recent surge in gold and Bitcoin prices in the context of currency diversification for institutional investors.

Whether or not the introduction of CBDCs will impact central banks’ reserve management strategies will be explored in OMFIF’s forthcoming Global Public Investor 2024 report, along with other asset and currency allocation trends.

Geopolitical risks: What’s at stake for investors?

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:48:28 +0100

Taylor Pearce, senior economist, Economic Monetary Institute at OMFIF, hosts Elliot Hentov, head of macro policy research at State Street Global Advisors, to discuss the interplay between geopolitics and financial markets. Hentov outlines several risk factors that could impact markets – including geopolitical shocks, risk premium repricing and the upcoming US election – and what investors are doing as a result.

Greece’s landmark debt restructuring – What happened and why it matters

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:53:37 +0100

Charles Dallara, ex-managing director of Institute of International Finance, talks about his book Euroshock, explaining how the 2012 Greek debt restructuring helped save European economic and monetary union from breakdown. A conversation with David Marsh and Burhan Khadbai.

The history of dollar dominance and weaponisation

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:20:37 +0100

Saleha Mohsin, senior Washington correspondent for Bloomberg News joined Mark Sobel, US chair at OMFIF, to discuss her recently published book, Paper Soldiers: How the Weaponization of the Dollar Changed the World Order. She discusses how secretaries of the Treasury of past decades managed communications about the dollar and how the department developed and deployed financial sanctions based on the dollar's globally dominant role.

Pre-validation: combatting fraud and minimising errors in payments

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Cian O’Murchu, head of strategic transformation, Mireia Guisado-Parra, pre-validation product owner at Swift and Julien Lasalle, head of cashless payment monitoring at Banque de France, join Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute. Together, they discuss the implementation of pre-validation – a new tool developed to reduce the number of errors in payments and restore people's trust in their ability to safely pay for goods and services online.

Analysing Romania’s landmark debut green bond

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:25:44 +0000

Stefan Nanu, head of public debt management and state treasury at the ministry of finance of Romania, joins Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, to discuss Romania’s long-awaited inaugural green bond, which was the most successful ever euro-denominated bond in this format by an emerging market issuer. As well as the record-breaking deal itself, they also cover Romania’s ambitious transition plan and the key features of its green bond framework

Why gender equality in financial institutions is macro-critical

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:23:11 +0000

Monique Newiak, deputy unit chief, inclusion and gender, and Mariarosaria Communale, economist at the International Monetary Fund, join Arunima Sharan, senior research analyst at OMFIF’s Economic and Monetary Policy Institute, to discuss the state of gender balance in financial institutions. They examine the IMF’s gender strategy, the macro-criticality of gender equality and findings from their recent publication, 'Who are Central Banks? Gender, Human Resources, and Central Banking'.

The views expressed by the speakers in this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its executive board or management.

Global public investor outlook 2024: Another ‘rollercoaster’ year?

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:44:43 +0000

Max Castelli, head of strategy, sovereign institutions, and Philipp Salman, director of strategy and advice, global sovereign markets, UBS Asset Management, join Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss what’s in store for global public investors in 2024. The discussion identifies opportunities and risks for reserve managers and sovereign wealth funds amid evolving market dynamics, including falling inflation, headwinds to China’s economy and a resilient US economy albeit looming political risks.

You can find the full transcript here.

Safeguarding the future: why organisations need ESG data

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:01:15 +0000

Environmental, social and governance data is integral to scaling up sustainable finance and investment. With increasing regulation and demand for information, it’s also crucial for organisations and businesses. Sherry Madera, chief executive officer of CDP, joins John Orchard, OMFIF chief executive officer, to discuss how data can improve the quality of a company, how datasets are evolving to support the mobilisation of institutional investor demand in ESG assets and the importance of data to leadership.

To find out more, Madera’s book Navigating Sustainability Data: How Organizations can use ESG Data to Secure Their Future is now available to buy.

Next steps for the EU’s evolution in bond markets

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 10:47:48 +0000

Siegfried Ruhl, hors classe adviser to the director-general for budget at the European Commission, joins Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, to discuss upcoming priorities for the European Union as it continues its rapid journey towards sovereign status in the capital markets.

They discuss the EU’s recent launch of quoting commitments for its primary dealers and the EU Issuance Service, as well as plans to launch a repo facility and futures market. The discussion also touches on the evolution of the EU’s investor base and its status as a safe asset and global benchmark.

Argentina's sovereign debt litigation disaster

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:55:08 +0000

Gregory Makoff, author of new book Default: The Landmark Court Battle over Argentina's $100 Billion Debt Restructuring joins OMFIF US Chair Mark Sobel to discuss Argentina's nearly two-decades-long sovereign debt litigation following the 2001 default. Both review the spectacular blow-up of the Argentine economy, the litigation's timeline and the US government's role at various junctures.

You can find the transcript of this podcast here.

Risk, policy and investment models for transition finance

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 17:14:09 +0000

To transition to a sustainable economy, new investment models are needed. Financial flows into emerging economies must be also scaled. Blended finance and public-private collaboration will be integral in supporting increased investment and mitigating risk perception.

David Carlin, head of risk, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, joins OMFIF’s Emma McGarthy, head, Sustainable Policy Institute, to discuss transition finance, takeaways from COP28 and his expectations for the year ahead.

Establishing a new framework for international climate finance

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 14:51:22 +0000

Vera Songwe, a non-resident senior fellow in the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution and co-chair of the Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance, joins Katerina Atkins, programme coordinator at OMFIF’s Sustainable Policy Institute, to explore the key outcomes and challenges from the COP28 climate summit. They discuss the agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, the conclusion of the first global stocktake, the loss and damage fund, as well as the financial needs and innovative financing mechanisms to address climate change.

Navigating the new norm: the long-term outlook for inflation and implications for investors

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Max Castelli, head of strategy, sovereign institutions, and Philipp Salman, director of strategy and advice, global sovereign markets, UBS Asset Management, join Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss macroeconomic challenges marked by exogenous shocks. They explore the short- and long-term outlook for inflation and the potential for a 'higher-for-longer' interest rate environment. The discussion touches on the equilibrium real interest rate, global factors influencing government debt dynamics, the potential productivity and growth implications of artificial intelligence and the evolving landscape for institutional investors.

Unlocking the benefits of smart contracts for retail CBDCs

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:36:31 +0000

Katie-Ann Wilson, Managing Director of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute is joined by Peter Faykiss Director, Digitalization, Central Bank of Hungary, Imre Kocsis, Assistant Professor, Budapest University of Technology, Laszlo Gonczy Associate Professor, Budapest University of Technology and Chris Ostrowski, CEO and founder of SODA to explore what we mean by programmable money and how it could impact how we use money in society. They also discuss the BIS’s Project Rosalind and why it is important to CBDC development, real life use cases for CBDCS using smart contracts and the technical models used.

The International Monetary Fund’s role in Ukraine’s economy and financing

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 07:58:48 +0000

The International Monetary Fund's Ukraine team joins OMFIF to discuss the stabilisation of the Ukrainian economy over the past year. They assess the critical role played by the Fund's programme and foreign financing for Ukraine, as well as Ukraine's progress on combatting corruption and strengthening the domestic financial system.

Speakers:
Mark Sobel, US Chairman, OMFIF
Natan Epstein, Deputy Mission Chief for Ukraine, IMF
Gavin Gray, Mission Chief for Ukraine, IMF
Sanaa Nadeem, Deputy Mission Chief for Ukraine, IMF

Improving grant delivery and management for emergency responses

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 11:55:28 +0000

There has been a rise in the number of people needing humanitarian assistance over recent years, resulting in disaster response public funding having to tackle immediate and longer-term socio-economic challenges.

Gareth Owen, humanitarian director of Save the Children UK and Simon Inglis, partner, grants & relief funds management at EY join OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute editor, Lewis McLellan, to discuss the importance of accountably for grant management and how new technology can improve delivery, efficiency, and oversight transparency to maximise the impact of grant funds.

Enhancing retail government bond programmes to improve diversification

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:28:08 +0000

In the second part of a special mini-series on the European retail government bond market, Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, speaks to senior officials at the Hungarian, Irish and Romanian debt management offices about how they are developing their retail bond programmes.

Zoltán Kurali, chief executive officer of Hungary’s debt management office (ÁKK), Murray McCarter, head of retail debt at Ireland’s national treasury management agency and Stefan Nanu, head of public debt management and state treasury at the ministry of finance in Romania, join OMFIF to discuss the importance of a diversified investor base that is offered by a retail programme. The discussion also focuses on how they are looking to enhance their retail products with the use of technology to attract younger customers.

How European DMOs are embracing the return of retail investors

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 07:30:19 +0000

In the first of two parts in a special mini-series on the European retail government bond market, Burhan Khadbai, head of content at OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, speaks to senior officials at the Belgian and Portuguese debt management offices about their record-breaking retail bond programmes this year.

Rui Amaral, board member, Portugal’s debt management office (IGCP) and Maric Post, director of treasury and capital markets at the Belgian debt agency, join OMFIF to cover how both DMOs have been shifting more funding to retail investors.

The discussion also touches on Belgium’s landmark €22bn transaction in September as well as whether retail demand is structural or opportunistic.

Investment needs for the energy transition

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 15:16:58 +0000

Diala Hawila, Knowledge Policy and Finance Centre programme officer at International Renewable Energy Agency, speaks with Katerina Atkins, programme coordinator at OMFIF, about the energy transition investment required under the 1.5°C scenarios, geographical aspects and key financing tools.

They both discuss the importance of innovative instruments for under-invested countries, the need to expand the definition of risk in energy asset investments and the urgency of international collaboration for a more equitable and global distribution of clean energy funding. Diala shares her expectations for the upcoming COP28, highlighting exciting opportunities arising from transition to a more sustainable future.

From conception to implementation: the CBDC journey

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 14:24:02 +0000

Whether or not they eventually go through with it, virtually every central bank will, sooner or later, at least consider issuing a digital currency. Whatever their aims and strategic priorities, they will need to go through a process of strategy formation, examination and experimentation. This process is fraught with challenges and must be carefully constructed to ensure all stakeholders are kept abreast of developments. Tom Bruls, head of professional services for CBDC at G+D, joins DMI editor Lewis McLellan to talk about the process and how to address the challenges that might arise.

Maintaining liquidity in times of crisis

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Max Castelli, head of strategy, sovereign institutions, and Philipp Salman, director of strategy and advice, global sovereign markets, UBS Asset Management, spoke with Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, about financial liquidity. They looked at how institutional investors have balanced liquidity needs with their pursuit of higher returns over the past decade and how these strategies are changing. They also discussed central banks' asset purchasing programmes on excess liquidity and how quantitative tightening will influence financial markets and investors, with a focus on the US Treasury market.

The rise of gold as a central bank reserve asset

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:59:26 +0000

Barry Eichengreen, professor of economics and political science at the University of California, Berkeley, and Chima Simpson-Bell, economist in the African Department at the International Monetary Fund, joined Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the rise of gold as a central bank reserve asset.

OMFIF’s Global Public Investor 2023 report revealed a resurgence in demand for traditional reserve assets, including gold. The podcast explores the structural trends behind the increase in gold accumulation and offers insight into emerging markets’ motivations for acquiring it. It also examines the findings of the IMF publication on central banks’ post-financial crisis gold reserve growth.

In conversation with the ministry of finance: growth prospects for the Hungarian economy

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0100

Tibor Tóth and Péter Banai, state secretaries of the Hungarian ministry of finance, joined Christopher Garnett, senior adviser to OMFIF’s Sovereign Debt Institute, for a conversation on the economic outlook in Hungary. They cover labour market reform, increasing and diversifying foreign direct investment inflows and export diversification and fiscal consolidation following the pandemic. They also discuss developments in the disbursement of European Union structural and Recovery and Resilience Facility funds.

In conversation with Barnabás Virág: growth prospects for the Hungarian economy

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Barnabás Virág, deputy governor of Magyar Nemzeti Bank, joins David Marsh, OMFIF chairman, for a conversation on the economic outlook in Hungary. Their discussion covers the country’s short- and long-term economic trajectory. They cover inflation and monetary policy, improving productivity and competitiveness, foreign direct investment, export diversification, progress on the sustainable agenda and Hungary’s prospects for joining Europe’s economic and monetary union.

The building blocks for accessing crypto

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 09:59:45 +0100

The cryptoasset class, while battered by scams and scandals, remains a valuable and exciting asset class. But if regulated mainstream financial institutions are to interact with it seriously, they need high-quality infrastructure. Duncan Trenholme and Simon Forster, TP ICAP's global co-heads of digital assets join Digital Monetary Institute editor, Lewis McLellan, to discuss the importance of trusted institutional relationships when investing in the cryptoasset ecosystem.

The state of Europe: interest rates, inflation and recession risks

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 10:46:33 +0100

In this OMFIF podcast, Vítor Constâncio, former governor of the Banco de Portugal and vice president of the European Central Bank from 2010-18, joins Ellie Groves, managing director, Economic and Monetary Policy Institute at OMFIF. They discuss the ECB’s September rate hike, the macroeconomic environment in Europe – including the difference in inflation between Portugal and Germany – and the fiscal framework that needs to be implemented to combat challenges.

Banco Central de Chile’s approach to improving gender balance

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 05:30:00 +0100

Marcela Pumarino, people manager at Banco Central de Chile, joins Arunima Sharan, senior research analyst at OMFIF, to discuss the ways in which central banks can work improve gender balance in leadership positions within the financial sector. They delve into some of the specific policies that Banco Central de Chile has adopted to promote gender equality, and the importance of having diversity in leadership roles more broadly in the financial sector.

How Microsoft is preparing for artificial intelligence in the global economy

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0100

How are technology giants preparing for artificial intelligence disruption? Preliminary evidence suggests that AI will improve productivity growth considerably, therefore boosting standards of living through innovations across major industries. Yet, it also seems likely to spur growing inequality while also presenting serious safety risks. In this podcast with Microsoft’s Greg Wilson, world wide public sector chief technology officer, OMFIF discusses how one of the world’s AI leaders are preparing for artificial intelligence’s benefits and potential risks to the global economy.

Digital remittances and the power of choice

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:00:00 +0100

Chad Harper, global payments fellow of Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, joins Katie-Ann Wilson, managing director of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the VEEI’s new research on the importance of choice and trade-offs when looking at digital remittances. They discuss key trends in the global costs of remittances as well as the progress that is being made towards the G20 targets. They also touch on the pandemic’s impact on remittances and what more the public and private sector can do to promote choice and transparency.

The power of choice: Options and trade-offs for digital remittances

Further reading from the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute:

Let’s give a voice to end users: Cross-border payments, attributes, and use cases

The economic empowerment of digital remittances: How to unlock the benefits of innovation and competition

GPI 2023: The challenges and responses from Africa’s reserve managers

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:33:31 +0100

In the last year, central banks across the world have been forced to navigate persistent inflation, suppressed growth and heightened geopolitical tensions. However, these forces have been most apparent for reserve managers in Africa. Compounded with the lingering effects of the pandemic, reserves saw the greatest decrease in international reserve levels in 2022 and urged many countries into seeking further multilateral support. This has raised concerns around the adequacy of reserves in the region and the capacity of countries to withstand further protracted shocks.

Nikhil Sanghani, managing director of research, and Edward Maling, research analyst, discuss how these challenges are influencing reserve managers’ long-term strategies. Delving into the regional findings from OMFIF’s Global Public Investor 2023 survey, they discuss how the uncertain outlook is affecting reserve managers’ asset allocation decisions, appetite for further diversification and will take stock of their progress towards environmental, social and governance integration.

HKMA explores tokenisation with green bond experiment

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:43:33 +0100

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has successfully completed an experimental green bond issuance through Goldman Sachs’ digital asset platform — the bank’s tokenisation system. While the bond successfully raised $800m for the green bond programme, it was more noteworthy as the first tokenised green bond issued by a government. Kenneth Hui, executive director, external, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Rosie Hampson, executive director, digital assets, Goldman Sachs, joined Digital Monetary Institute editor Lewis McLellan to discuss the benefits that tokenisation offers for the green bond market and the challenges they overcame in delivering the deal.

Central banks in the digital age: harnessing data

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0100

Oliver Berger, head of Middle East & Africa at State Street Corporation, joins Taylor Pearce, senior economist at OMFIF, to discuss the key findings of the ‘Central banks in the digital age: bringing data into focus’ report. They explore the macro factors driving IT transformations in central banks and how central banks are approaching this, the challenges and opportunities of big data for reserve management and technological and enterprise-wide solutions.

Pushing for transparency in transition finance

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0100

Simone Utermarck, director, sustainable finance, International Capital Market Association, joins Emma McGarthy, head, Sustainable Policy Institute, OMFIF, to discuss updated ICMA’s guidance on climate transition finance, transition bond issuances and greenwashing concerns linked to transition finance.

They cover the role the ICMA is playing in driving transition finance, what issuers need to consider with transition bonds and other types of sustainable products and explore how we can strive for better transparency of the sustainable capital markets.